FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, April 19, 2011 CHICAGO BEARS 2011 SCHEDULE 2011 BEARS PRESEASON SCHEDULE DATE OPPONENT TIME (CST) NETWORK / RADIO Sunday, Aug. 7 vs. St. Louis Rams (Canton, OH) 7:00 p.m. NBC / WBBM Radio Saturday, Aug. 13 BUFFALO BILLS 7:00 p.m. Chicago Bears Network on WFLD-TV / WBBM Monday, Aug. 22 at New York Giants 7:00 p.m. ESPN / WBBM Radio Saturday, Aug. 27 at Tennessee Titans 7:00 p.m. Chicago Bears Network on WFLD-TV / WBBM Thursday, Sept. 1 CLEVELAND BROWNS 7:00 p.m. Chicago Bears Network on WFLD-TV / WBBM 2011 BEARS REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE DATE OPPONENT TIME (CST) NETWORK / RADIO Sunday, Sept. 11 ATLANTA FALCONS Noon FOX / WBBM Radio Sunday, Sept. 18 at New Orleans Saints Noon FOX / WBBM Radio Sunday, Sept. 25 GREEN BAY PACKERS 3:15 p.m. FOX / WBBM Radio Sunday, Oct. 2 CAROLINA PANTHERS Noon FOX / WBBM Radio Monday, Oct. 10 at Detroit Lions 7:30 p.m. ESPN / WBBM Radio Sunday, Oct. 16 MINNESOTA VIKINGS 7:20 p.m. NBC/ WBBM Radio Sunday, Oct. 23 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (London) Noon FOX / WBBM Radio Sunday, Oct. 30 BYE WEEK Monday, Nov. 7 at Philadelphia Eagles 7:30 p.m. ESPN / WBBM Radio Sunday, Nov. 13 DETROIT LIONS Noon* FOX / WBBM Radio Sunday, Nov. 20 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 3:15 p.m.* CBS / WBBM Radio Sunday, Nov. 27 at Oakland Raiders 3:05 p.m.* FOX / WBBM Radio Sunday, Dec. 4 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS Noon* CBS / WBBM Radio Sunday, Dec. 11 at Denver Broncos 3:05 p.m.* FOX / WBBM Radio Sunday, Dec. 18 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS Noon* FOX / WBBM Radio Sunday, Dec. 25 at Green Bay Packers 7:20 p.m. NBC / WBBM Radio
Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012 at Minnesota Vikings Noon* FOX / WBBM Radio * Game times tentative and subject to flexible scheduling 2011-12 POSTSEASON SCHEDULE Saturday, Sunday, January 7-8, 2012 AFC-NFC Wild Card Playoffs (NBC, CBS & FOX) Saturday, Sunday, January 14-15, 2012 AFC-NFC Divisional Playoffs (CBS & FOX) Sunday, January 22, 2012 AFC-NFC Championship Games (CBS & FOX) Sunday, January 29, 2012 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, Honolulu, HI (NBC) Sunday, February 5, 2012 Super Bowl XLVI, Indianapolis, Indiana (NBC)
BEARS HEAD COACH LOVIE SMITH ON THE 2011 SCHEDULE: We like opening with three of our first four games in front of our fans at Soldier Field. It is also clear that our division is well respected as we face each of our rivals in primetime this season. The NFC North deserves the showcase games and we look forward to those classic match-ups in front of a national audience. KICKOFF WEEKEND: The Bears own 51 opening-day victories overall (51-35-5,.588), tied with Green Bay (51-36-3,.583) for the most by any NFL franchise. Chicago has won two of their last three opening-day contests. BEARS OPEN AT HOME FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR: The Bears open the regular season schedule at home for the second straight year, hosting the NFC South champion Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, September 11 at Noon CT. The contest marks the first time since the 1998-99 seasons that Chicago will open the season in front of their home fans in back-to-back campaigns. Of Chicago s last 18 season openers at home dating back to 1984, the Bears are 15-3. The last time the Bears opened the season against the Falcons was in 1983 when Atlanta beat Chicago, 20-17, at Soldier Field. CHICAGO HITS THE ROAD FOR CHRISTMAS NIGHT & NEW YEAR S DAY MATCHUPS: The Bears will play on Christmas for just the second time in franchise history when they take on the Packers in Green Bay on Sunday, December 25 on NBC s Sunday Night Football. Chicago s only other Christmas game was in 2005 when the Bears won 24-17 in Green Bay. Chicago will also play on the road the following week on New Year s Day against the Vikings at Noon CT. The Bears have played two other New Year s Day contests, losing at Minnesota, 34-10, on Jan. 1, 2006, and beating the Vikings, 35-18, on the road, Jan. 1, 1995, in a Wild Card Playoff Game. BEARS BATTLE TEAMS FROM AFC WEST & NFC SOUTH DIVISIONS: Chicago will square off against all four teams from the AFC West and NFC South this season. Chicago will host Kansas City (Week 13) and San Diego (Week 11), while traveling to Denver (Week 14) and Oakland (Week 12). The Bears are 24-21 all-time against teams for the AFC West (.533). Chicago faced the AFC West in 2007, going 3-1 in those contests. The Bears will travel to New Orleans (Week 2) and take on Tampa Bay (Week 7) while hosting Atlanta (Week 1) and Carolina (Week 4). Chicago is 65-44 (.596) all-time against teams from the NFC South. The Bears beat the Panthers in Carolina, 24-6 last season, and fell at Atlanta, 20-17, in 2009. Chicago last faced all four teams from the NFC South in 2008, going 1-3 in those contests. BEARS SCHEDULED TO PLAY FOUR GAMES IN PRIMETIME: The Bears are scheduled to make four appearances on primetime television during the 2011 regular season after going 3-1 during the 2010 regular season on NBC s Sunday Night Football (0-1), ESPN s Monday Night Football (2-0) and NFL Network s Thursday Night Football (1-0). The Bears first primetime contest of the 2011 season is in Week 5 on ESPN s Monday Night Football at division rival Detroit. Six days later, the Bears host the Minnesota Vikings on NBC s Sunday Night Football. Following the Bye Week, Chicago travels to Philadelphia in Week 9 to play the Eagles on Monday Night Football. The Bears final scheduled primetime appearance will be in Week 16 when the Bears travel to Green Bay to battle the Packers on Sunday Night Football on Christmas Night. Chicago is also set to play in two nationally-televised games during the preseason with the Hall of Fame Game versus St. Louis on Sunday, August 7 on NBC and in New York against the Giants on Monday, August 22 on ESPN. Under Head Coach Lovie Smith Chicago is 6-1 on Monday Night Football and 7-7 on Sunday Night Football. BEARS SET TO TRAVEL 20,756 MILES DURING 2011 SEASON: The Bears will travel 20,756 miles during the 2011 season, the most since Chicago racked up 21,482 miles in 1997. Chicago has two long trips to London, England (7,906 miles) and Oakland (3,670 miles), in addition to playing an extra preseason game with the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio (Cleveland, 632 miles).
2011 OPPONENT QUICK FACTS Home 2010 Record Last Home Meeting Atlanta 13-3 (.813) W, 16-3, 12/18/05 Carolina 2-14 (.125) L, 21-29 (DP), 1/15/06 Detroit 6-10 (.375) W, 19-14, 9/12/10 Green Bay 10-6 (.625) L, 14-21 (NFC), 1/23/11 Kansas City 10-6 (.625) W, 20-10, 9/16/07 Minnesota 6-10 (.375) W, 27-13, 11/14/10 San Diego 9-7 (563) W, 20-7, 11/2/03 Seattle 7-9 (.438) W, 35-24 (DP), 1/16/11 Totals 63-65 (.492) Away 2010 Record Last Away Meeting Denver 4-12 (.250) W, 19-10, 11/23/03 Detroit 6-10 (.375) W, 24-20, 12/5/10 Green Bay 10-6 (.625) L, 3-10, 1/2/11 Minnesota 6-10 (.375) W, 40-14, 12/20/10 New Orleans 11-5 (.688) W, 20-17, 11/6/05 Oakland 8-8 (.500) W, 17-6, 11/11/07 Philadelphia 10-6 (.625) W, 19-16, 10/21/07 Tampa Bay 10-6 (.625) W, 13-10, 11/27/05 Totals 65-63 (.508) Overall 128-128 (.500) 2010 Playoff Teams in Bold DP = Divisional Playoff NFC = NFC Championship game
2011 OPPONENT TRENDS Teams CHI Streak All-Time Record Atlanta lost 2 12-12 Carolina won 1 3-3 Denver won 2 CHI: 7-6 Detroit won 6, won 10 of 12 CHI: 93-64-5 Green Bay lost 2 CHI: 92-84-6 Kansas City won 1 CHI: 6-4 Minnesota won 3 MIN: 52-46-2 New Orleans won 4 CHI: 15-11 Oakland won 2 6-6 Philadelphia won 1, won 3 of 4 CHI: 29-11-1 San Diego lost 1, won 4 of 5 5-5 Seattle won 1, won 2 of 3 SEA: 8-6 Tampa Bay lost 1 CHI: 35-18